Blog

Affirming Parents is The Key to Building Trust Amid a flurry of activity, Club 252 Program Coordinator Chuck Harris patiently interacts with a seven year old who is having a rough day. Ever positive and affirming, Chuck helps the boy calm himself down until he is able to return to the group. This is how…

Battling the Giant of College Dropout-Rates Next month, nearly 40 college students will head off to school; some are returning, others embarking on their first year. For Sunshine’s College Life Program, headed by Arnold “Sojo” Sojourner, he sees this time in their life as a ‘Right of Passage.’ “This is the part of their journey where…

Aubrey is a bright 13 year-old who has lived in Chicago all of his life. He lives with his mother in the Woodlawn, attends Fiske and plays basketball for their team. He currently spends springs and summers with his father in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Aubrey has spent time away from Chicago, this gives him a…

Jawon seems to be one who has always known his destiny. Many investments of time, hard work and resources have culminated in a full-ride scholarship to Northern Illinois University. Jawon will be joining the football team this summer and enrolling the following fall. He recognizes his destiny has been impacted by his mother, leaders and…

Our youngest students shared their experience at Sunshine Gospel Ministries. Speaking with the rare confidence only a child can muster, they outline their time at Sunshine Gospel’s 252 program. 252 is specifically tailored for students attending 2nd through 5th grades and has been recently expanded to include 1st grade. Here is a story of 252…

Eric Wilson is an ambitious young man with high hopes for the future. He says he owes his mindset to the family who helped raise him in his father’s absence. Eric was 3 years old when his father was shot and killed. But alongside his mother came a grandma, aunts and uncles to provide structure—something…

by Ethan Daly As humans, we were designed to feel—it’s central to how we experience life. And inherent to our nature is the desire to feel loved. In a fallen world, however, we exhibit this love imperfectly, both towards others and ourselves. Our words and actions can inflict irreparable damage. The resulting experience is known…

Emeri Garrett works part-time at Greenline Coffee. She greets customers from behind the counter with a warm, inviting smile. She’s shy, but doesn’t let it show—it’s important to be outgoing and make people feel welcome. Today is her day off, yet she comes to the shop on business. Arnold Sojourner called Emeri so they could meet to discuss…

They are in it for the long haul- In the fall of 2015, WorkLife’s sister program, College LIFE was implemented to strategically invest in the youth’s college career and sustain opportunities through relationship beyond college. College Life started last year at the conclusion of WorkLife and was the vision of Andy Combs and Arnold Sojourner….

At Sunshine, the concept of Shalom is more than the absence of violence, it is the “way things are supposed to be” according to Joel Hamernick, Director and Founder. Shalom includes the reconciliation and restoration of the community and draws out the inherent virtuosity and giftedness of each individual. Pete Blodgett, Director of Discipleship at…